Cozumel, Q.R. — Ongoing seaweed removal from various points of the island of Cozumel has totaled over 114 tons. Mayor José Luis Chacón Méndez says 114,400 kilograms of sargassum has already been cleared from January to March in different locations.
Irwin Javier Batún Alpuche, the Director of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) of Cozumel, said the municipal government launched the cleanup operation at the beginning of the new administration with the firm goal of maintaining beautiful beaches.
From January to March 31, 2025, he said, the personnel participating in this effort managed to remove a total of 114.4 tons of sargassum, with the eastern side of Cozumel, specifically in Punta Chiqueros Bay, being the most affected area.
He says that area has been the most affected even though the arrival of sargassum has also been recorded on the coast of the center of the island.
Fifty-one people from Zofemat and staff from the Temporary Employment Program are participating in this effort, working together to mitigate the impact of the sargassum.
He says the sargassum is collected manually to avoid the use of heavy machinery and thus protect the island’s coastal environment. The collected sargassum is transported to a collection site located on the south side of the island where it is dried and subsequently reintegrated into the environment, ensuring its responsible final disposal.
The Municipal Government reaffirms its commitment to protecting the ecosystems and the well-being of the community, keeping Cozumel’s beaches clean and free of debris that could affect its natural beauty and public health.
